Computers don't aid learning, says OECD

Countries that have invested heavily in ICT in schools have not seen any improvement in results, report concludes

Children who use computers frequently in school tend to perform worse than those who use them less, according to a report from the OECD that casts doubt over the ability of technology to improve learning outcomes.

According to an OECD study into the use of technology in schools in 31 countries (the UK was not one of them), schools have yet to exploit the potential of technology in the classroom to tackle the digital divide.

The countries examined that have invested heavily in ICT for education have seen "no noticeable improvement" in their performances for reading, maths or science, the report concluded.

Students who use computers moderately at school tend to have "somewhat" better learning outcomes than those who use them rarely, the OECD said. But those who use them frequently do "much worse", even controlling for student demographics, the think tank added.

The report comes amid a growing penchant among Silicon Valley's ‘digerati' to send their children to Waldorf schools, which shun technology.

It also echoes claims from speakers at this year's BETT show that schools have wasted billions of pounds on IT that does not improve learning outcomes.

The OECD argued that ensuring every child hits a baseline of proficiency in reading or maths will do more to create equally opportunities in a digital world than subsidising technology.

"School systems need to find more effective ways to integrate technology into teaching and learning to provide educators with learning environments that support 21st century pedagogies and provide children with the 21st century skills they need to succeed in tomorrow's world," said Andreas Schleicher, OECD director for education and skills.

"Technology is the only way to dramatically expand access to knowledge. To deliver on the promises technology holds, countries need to invest more effectively and ensure that teachers are at the forefront of designing and implementing this change."

The countries that participated were: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Chinese-Taipei, Colombia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hong Kong-China, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Macao-China, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Shanghai-China, Singapore, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and the US.